Skip to main content

Fire! Gadgets thrown in the trash are causing battery blazes at waste centers

We’ve read countless stories over the years of unstable lithium-ion batteries suddenly exploding, including in smartphones, hoverboards, and vape pens — sometimes with tragic consequences — so it’s kind of surprising we’re not more careful about how we dispose of them.

Left inside trashed electronics that can include anything from those listed above to laptops, cameras, and power tools, the batteries are causing fires at garbage and recycling centers across the country, according to a USA Today report.

Recommended Videos

Take California. The state blamed exploding batteries for 65 percent of fires at its waste facilities in 2017. The issue has become so serious that it’s launched an awareness campaign to highlight the dangers and to ask consumers to stop throwing their old battery-powered gadgets into the trash.

New York, too, is facing similar challenges. USA Today’s report points out that in March a battery caused a fire at a recycling facility in Queens that burned for two days and caused disruption to nearby train services.

Garbage truck workers are also at risk. An incident in New York City last year saw a lithium-ion battery explode as the truck compacted the trash, setting fire to the burnables inside.

The problem is that if the battery’s exposed metal parts touch something metallic, sparks can fly, resulting in a blaze. Damaged batteries can also malfunction with similar results.

George Kerchner, executive director of the Rechargeable Battery Association, told the news outlet that some consumers get rid of the batteries without too much thought, “hoping that somebody at the end of the line will recycle them eventually.”

But he cautioned that “these are high-energy batteries, no question about it. If they’re not properly handled, they can catch on fire.”

With demand for the technology continuing to rise, it’s all the more important that consumers understand the possible consequences of tossing used batteries into the garbage.

For ways to recycle them, try doing an online search to find local services willing to handle them. Call2recycle, for example, is a useful source of information.

With the Recycling Locator at Earth911 you can select batteries by type to see a map of the closest safe disposal centers closest to your zip code.

Alternatively, save them up for your next visit to a Home Depot, Best Buy, or Lowe’s, all of which recycle lithium-ion batteries for free.

To be on the safe side, when you’re done with a removable lithium-ion battery, be sure to place it by itself inside a closed plastic bag to isolate the terminals, or simply put tape over them. That way you’ll reduce the chances of your battery ending up in the news for reducing a garbage truck to a burned-out shell, or worse.

Updated May 22 with information on Earth911.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Baseus power banks are the best way to charge your phone after these discounts
A woman holding a phone with a Baseus Am41 Magnetic Power Bank attached to it.

One of the worst things about being a doomscroller isn't the information you're getting, it's the fear that your battery will die and the scrolling will have to end. This is especially true if you're stuck without power, waiting for the doctor or dentist to finally call your name, or have any other sort of emergency. But, Baseus has you covered with their excellent selection of on-the-go power banks made for your iPhone. Since they're small and fit directly to your phone's magnet charging area, you can think of them more as battery extenders than anything. Plus, if your phone's internal battery is starting to have battery trouble, a Baseus charger is a great way to avoid an annoying battery change session. The best news, however, is that they're all on sale. Here's what you can expect to see coming up:

Baseus Am31 Mini Power Bank — Was $70, Now $50

Read more
Nothing Phone 3: A unique phone that’s not a true flagship
The Nothing Phone 3 in white

As smartphones have become extremely homogenous, companies must find unique ways to stand out from the crowd. For London-based Nothing, this has meant a singular company focus on blending smartphone features with unique designs that allow their phones to stand out in a sea of sameness.

The Nothing Phone 3 is the latest addition to a line of Nothing phones that are unique and polarizing in their design. Earlier this year, Nothing launched the Phone 3a Pro with a unique camera array, and the Phone 3 builds on this while also evolving the Nothing design language.

Read more
Plaud Note, the professional-tier AI notetaker, is 20% off for Prime Day
Four colleagues have a conversation around a Plaud Note AI notetaker.

Lately, as I've been working through stressful hospital visits with family, I've encountered something I haven't in quite awhile. As I hear doctors, nurses, and family say things, I'll be completely unable to remember them moments later. There's just too much going on all at once. Early in my career I encountered the same issue. There were just so many new facets of what I was doing entering my head all at once, from many sources, that it was impossible to keep track of it all. If only there were AI notetaking tools that have helped me through this. AI notetaking tools like Plaud Note and Plaud NotePin, which are both 20% off for Prime Day (from $159 to $127 for either device, saving you $32) and available by tapping the button below.

PLAUD Note Voice Recorder

Read more